a. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to elongate medical devices, such as, for example and without limitation, catheters and sheaths or introducers. More particularly, this disclosure relates to modular handle extension devices for such elongate medical devices, and elongate medical devices and components thereof that include such modular extension devices.
b. Background Art
It is known to use elongate medical devices, such as, for example, catheters and sheaths or introducers, when performing various therapeutic and/or diagnostic medical procedures on or in various anatomical structures of a patient's body, such as, for example, the heart. Such devices generally include an elongate shaft having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, a number of electrical and fluid elements, and a handle assembly disposed at the proximal end portion of the shaft. In order to provide access to the electrical and fluid elements in the shaft, the handle assembly generally includes one or more connectors that can be coupled with fluid supplies, mapping and navigation systems, and the like.
Known medical device handle assemblies are generally designed and constructed with a particular shaft construction in mind—i.e., a particular configuration of electrical elements, fluid elements, deflection mechanisms, and the like. If a new catheter shaft is designed and constructed, an entirely new handle typically must be designed and constructed as well to accommodate the particular configuration of fluid elements, electrical elements, and other features of the catheter shaft.
The foregoing discussion is intended only to illustrate the present field and should not be taken as a disavowal of claim scope.